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Herbed Beef Barley Stew with Root Vegetables
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Course Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker
  • Freezer Bags
  • Cutting Board

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound beef stew meat, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1 cup pearl barley
  • 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 2 parsnips, peeled and sliced
  • 2 medium potatoes, diced
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Place the beef stew meat, pearl barley, carrots, parsnips, potatoes, onion, and garlic into a large freezer bag.
  • Add the beef broth, dried thyme, dried rosemary, bay leaves, salt, and black pepper to the bag.
  • Seal the bag, remove excess air, and freeze flat until solid.
  • When ready to cook, thaw the bag overnight in the refrigerator.
  • Pour the contents into a slow cooker.
  • Cover and cook on low for 8 hours until the beef is tender and the barley is cooked through.
  • Remove the bay leaves before serving.

Notes

For a thicker stew, stir once halfway through cooking if you are home. If the barley absorbs too much liquid during storage, add an extra half cup of broth when reheating. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for three days and reheat well on the stovetop over medium heat.
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Equipment: Slow Cooker, Freezer Bags, Cutting Board